Compactable ladder for a boat

ABSTRACT

A boat ladder has a rigid I-beam support with steps pivotally attached for making the ladder compact, with the ladder pivotally engaged with a compartment in the boat hull for storing the ladder when not in use.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention is in the field of ladders for recreational boats.More specifically, it is directed toward a boat ladder with stepsfoldable into the support member to make the ladder compact for storageinto a tubular compartment formed or located in the frame or body orhull of the boat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Conventional boat ladders for recreational boats have parallelouter elongated rigid support members with longitudinally spaced rungsor steps extending between the support members. For use, this type ofladder conventionally has a hook-type of arrangement at one end forlatching or coupling to the edge of a boat or dock for getting into andout of the boat. When not in use the ladder is usually stored by layingit on the deck of the boat or alongside a deck rail or perhaps in asmall storage closet on the boat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The support structure of the instant ladder is an elongated rigidmember, preferably made of metal, which in cross section is in the shapeof an I beam. Alternatively, the support structure can be described ascomprising a pair of back-to-back rigid U channels. The ladder steps,sometimes referred to as rungs, are located in the channels, each steppivotally attached near one end to the side plates of the channels sothat the steps can be swung to extend outward from the support for useand swung into the channels for storage. The steps are constructed suchthat in the extended or use condition the inner ends of the steps buttup against the bottom wall of the channel to hold the steps in placewhen a person is climbing up or down the ladder. For storage, the stepsare swung into the channels to make the ladder compact and the ladder isthen placed through a suitable opening into an elongated hollow tubularcompartment or chamber which is formed in the frame or body or hull ofthe boat. A guide block is slidably engaged in the storage compartmentand is pivotally engaged at one end with a trunion which is attached toan end of the ladder. For use, the ladder is slid out the opening at oneend of the compartment until the guide block reaches a stop at the openend of the compartment and the ladder pivotally swings downwardalongside the boat so that the steps can be swung out for entering orleaving the boat. For storage the steps are pivotally swung into thechannels, the ladder then is pivotally swung upward and inserted intothe compartment through the outside opening. A manually operable latchand a removable cover plate are provided to secure the ladder in placein the compartment and for closing off the access opening to the storagechamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is a front plan view of an embodiment of the inventionshowing a ladder in the use position;

[0005]FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1;

[0006]FIG. 3 is a section view of FIG. 1;

[0007]FIG. 4 is a front plan view of another embodiment of theinvention;

[0008]FIG. 5 is an illustration of an embodiment of the inventionshowing the ladder in the storage condition partially inserted in thestorage chamber;

[0009]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a chamber for storing the ladder;and

[0010]FIG. 7 is an illustration of a ladder storage chamber in the hullof a boat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Ladder 10 comprises a main support frame 11 with a set ofspaced-apart steps 12 which are pivotally attached to frame 11 at pivotpoints 13 so that they can be swung inward into support 11 for storageor swung outward, as illustrated in FIG. 1, for use. Support frame 11preferably is an elongated rigid I-beam, as illustrated in thecross-section view of FIG. 3. Alternatively the support frame 11 can beconsidered to be a pair of elongate U channels 14 and 15 which areattached back-to-back at a center rigid elongated support 16 and havingrespective back and front sidewalls or plates 14A, 14B and 15A and 15Bwith steps or rungs 12 pivotally attached in the respective channels 14and 15 between front and back side plates 14A and 14B and 15A and 15B.As illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 4, steps 12 are designed tohave a flat planar area 12A so that when steps 12 are swung to extendgenerally at right angles outward from center support 16 for use as aladder, area 12A provides support for the user. When steps 12A are swunginward for storage, planar area 12A rests against the center support 16within U channel 14 or 15. At its inner end each of the steps 12 isformed with a stub or stop 12B which functions to rest firmly againstthe center support member 16 to hold the step in place when it is in theextended use position. For storage stub or stop 12B swings away fromcenter support 16 into the U channel when the step 12 is swung upwardand inward for storage into U channel 14 or 15. As illustrated in FIG.1, the ladder may constitute a series of longitudinally spaced stepsalternately located in channels 14 and 15 to provide alternate left andright steps when in the use condition. FIG. 4 illustrates a variation inwhich complementary steps appear opposite one another longitudinallyspaced to provide correspondingly located steps on both the right andleft sides of the ladder in the use condition.

[0012] Ladder 10 is stored in a storage compartment, such as illustratedin FIG. 6, which is formed or located in the hull of a boat, such as acruiser or the like, as indicated by reference numeral 30 in FIG. 7. Thecompartment is an elongated hollow box-like structure 20 having anaccess opening 21 at one end which for descriptive purposes and in useconstitutes the front end of the compartment. A flange or frame 22around opening 21 at the front end and an L bracket 23 at the back endhave openings for attachment members, such as screws or bolts or thelike, to secure the compartment in place in the interior of the frame orhull of the boat. Slidably engaged in the storage chamber and theinterior of compartment 20 is a stop block 25. Stop block 25 isdimensioned so that it will slide freely in the storage chamber ofcompartment 20 but is prevented from leaving compartment 20 throughopening 21 by the inner edges of frame 22. At one end slide block 25 hasan undercut extension 26 which is dimensioned to extend out throughopening 21 when the stop block 25 is stopped at the open end of thestorage chamber. At one end of ladder 10, which is the top end in theuse position, ladder 10 has a pair of oppositely disposed spaced-apartcurved arms or extensions 27 with a pivot pin or rod 28 extendingbetween the two arms 27. Pivot pin 28 is pivotally engaged in an openingthrough extension 26 so that ladder 10 is therefore pivotally engagedwith slide block 25. For storage the ladder is swung upward about pivotpin 28 while slide block 25 is moved rearward in storage chamber 20 andladder 10 is inserted into the storage chamber of compartment 20 throughopening 21. For use the ladder is pulled out of the storage compartment20 through opening 21 and swung downward about pivot pin 28 to agenerally vertical position when extension 27 extends out from thestorage chamber through opening 21. In practice, a suitable cover plate,not shown, is placed over opening 21 when the ladder is in the storagecompartment.

[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 7, flange or frame 22 and a cover platemay have to be angled or contoured to conform to the shape of theexterior of the hull of the boat.

[0014] Also, the ladder may include a latch mechanism at its bottom endfor releasably locking it in place when stored in the storage chamber.

[0015] As an additional feature, steps 12 on each side of the mainsupport may be connected together by an elongated rod so that all thesteps are all swung inward and/or outward in unison.

We claim:
 1. A compactable ladder for a boat, comprising: a) anelongated rigid planar center support member having parallel front andback side edges terminating at a top and a bottom; b) a back rigidplanar member fixedly attached to the back side edge of said centersupport member extending perpendicular outward from said center supportand a front rigid planar member fixedly attached to the front side edgeof said center support generally parallel to said back member, said backand front members defining channels between said front and back memberson both sides of said center support member; c) rigid ladder stepslocated in said channels, each step pivotally attached between said backand front members, said steps spaced from one another lengthwise alongsaid center support member, said steps pivotally swung outward generallyperpendicular to said center support member for use and swung inwardinto said channels for storage; and d) means for coupling the ladder atits top end to a boat.
 2. A compactable ladder for a boat as describedin claim 1 further including means for releasably holding each step inthe use position.
 3. A compactable ladder for a boat as described inclaim 2 wherein said means for releasably holding each step in the useposition comprises a stub extension on each step from its pivot point toan inner end for butting against said center support member when thestep is in its use position.
 4. A compactable ladder for a boat,comprising: a) an elongated rigid I beam support; b) ladder stepspivotally attached to said support in the I beam channels to swinggenerally perpendicularly outward from said channels for use and toswing to rest in said channels for storage; c) said steps spaced fromone another lengthwise along said support; and d) means for coupling anend of said support to a boat.
 5. A compactable ladder for a boat asdescribed in claim 4 further including means for releasably securingsaid steps in the use position.
 6. A compactable ladder for a boat asdescribed in claim 5 wherein said means for releasably holding each stepin the use position comprises a stub extension at the inner end of eachstep for butting against said support when the step is in the useposition.
 7. A compactable ladder for a boat as described in claim 5wherein said means for coupling said support to a boat, comprises: a) anelongated hollow tubular ladder storage compartment in a boat hull, saidcompartment dimensioned to hold said compactable ladder and having anaccess opening at the exterior of the boat for receiving said ladder; b)a stop block slidably located in said compartment; c) stop means forpreventing said stop block from exiting said compartment through saidopening; d) an extension from said guide arm for pivotably engaging anend of said boat ladder support such that said ladder support swingsdownward from said compartment opening for use and is swingable upwardfor storage into said compartment through said access opening.
 8. Acompactable boat ladder for storing in a storage compartment of apleasure boat, comprising in combination: a) an elongated rigid I-beamsupport having left and right channels; b) ladder steps longitudinallyspaced along said support, said steps pivotally attached to said supportin the I-beam channels to swing generally perpendicularly outward foruse and inward to rest in said channels for storage; c) an elongatedhollow tubular storage compartment in the hull of a boat below the boatdeck, said compartment dimensioned to hold the ladder in storage withthe ladder steps resting in the channels, said chamber having an accessopening at the exterior of the boat; d) a stop block slidably located insaid compartment; e) a stop for preventing said stop block from exitingsaid compartment through said access opening; f) an arm extending out ofsaid access opening from said stop block when said stop block is at skidstop; and g) a pivot pin attached to said arm for pivotally engaging anend of said ladder support for pivotally swinging said ladder downwardfrom said storage chamber for use and upward for insertion into thechamber for storage.